Process and apparatus for refining clay, &amp;c.



S. A. w. OKELL. PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR R EFINING CLAY, 6L0- APPLICATION FILED JULY 6, I916.

Patented Apr. 17,1917.

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5 nve 'nIoz I jg; 4,,MM 351 M altozwzq STANLEY, A. w. loxEiL L, F EAST ORANGE,

NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO INDUSTRIAL CHEMICAL (JO'MPANY, NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

To all whom it may 6mm: 1

Be it known that I, STANLEY A. W, OKELL, a subject of the 'King of Great Brit:

aim, and resident of East Orange, Essex county, State of New Jersey, have made a certain new and useful Invention Relating -to Processes and Apparatus for Refining Clay, &c., of which the following is a specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, which forms part of the same. i

This invention relates particularly torefining of clay or generally similar solid material which. can be easily suspended in Water, by continuous centrifugal separating methods while thematerial is in suspension in aqueous or other liquid. Clay such as is used for paper making, for instance, may in its raw state be suspended in water by suitable agitation to the extent of about ten I per cent. more or less and this liquid or raw clay solution as it Will-be termed for brevity may, preferably after screening to remove any undesirable large particles, be 2' fed into a centrifugal drum provided with ribs or partitions to promote the quiescence of the rotating body of liquid or clay solu tion therein. The centrifugal action thus effected is sutficient to separate the usual fine particles of grit anddrive them outward through the more or less gelatinous or col-- loidal clay solution and these particles of grit while still suspended in liquid may pass through discharge slots or openings in the periphery of the drum so as to enter the annular space or chamber between the drum and the casing surrounding it Where this separated material is kept in suspension by the intense agitation or swirling of the 40 liquid, so that, ifdesired, it can be contmuously discharged while in this condition, the refined clay material while suspended in liquid being, if desired, continuously discharged from the central partof the centrifugal drum.

. An illustrative form of apparatus for carrying out this invention is shown in a somewhat diagrammatic way in the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a substantially vertical section taken alongthe-line 11 of 'Fig. 2; and

Fig. 2 is a transverse horizontal section taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

In this illustrative form of apparatusfthe casing 3 may be supported in any suitable Specification of Letters Patent.

the conical thrust bearingmembers 9 engagmember 16 to'which may be secured the tubular shaft 12 extending through the i other suitable liquid to the extent of some ten per cent. more or less may be fed into the PROCESS AND APPARATUS- FOR REFINING CLAY, 8w.

Patented Apr. 17, 1917'.

Application filed July 6 1916. Serial No. 107,750.

otherwise secured to the periphery of the drum and formed with a boss or enlargement 6 in which may be secured the drum axle 39 passing through a suitable stufling box 8 formed on or secured to the bottom I plate 7. A thrust bearing of any desired form may be arranged in connection with this axle andmay, for instance, comprise 70. mg a raceway in the bearing plate 10 secured to lugs on the bottom plate 7 if desired. To rotate the drum any suitable driving mechanism may be employed, and for instance, an electric motor 11 may be directly connected With the drum axle and may rotate the drum-at the proper speed to secure the desired centrifugal action. The drum may be provided with a similar upper end packing box 14 and intoai discharge cham-, ber or casing 17 mounted, if desired, on the transverse member 23 of the head frame 24.

This discharge chamber may be provided with a discharge pipe 22 communicating with the space" 18 within the chamber and suitable packing 21 may be arranged Within the neck 20 secured to the bottom of this chamber which may fit somewhat loosely around the tubular shaft'12. In order to deflect the'liquid rising in this tubular shaft a flaring collar or deflector 19 may be secured to the shaft in such posit'on as to projectfdown over the topof th neck 20 and direct the liquid into the space 18 in the discharge chamber without undesirable I leakage. a v 7 I The clay or the like suspended in water'or drum, as for instance through the feed, pipe 13 whichis preferably (centrally arranged along the axis of the drum and adjustably held in position as by the set screw. 28 in theblock 27 secured to the top plate'of the head frame which may be removably held in position by the bolts 26, The upper end of this feed pipe maybe provided with-a supply funnel 29 with which the supply pipe 110 30 may cooperate and in this way the raw clay solution and grit may be continuously fed into the centrifugal drum adjacent its axis and preferably near the lower end of the drum toward which the discharge end 38 of the feed pipe approaches. ,Under operating conditions the drum is filled with this clay solution which is maintained in rapid rotation with a minimum of eddies or disturbance by reason of the baffle plates or ribs 40 which may be arranged at any suitable intervals Within the drum preferably in a more or less radial position and the centrifugal foree thus generated is suflicient to cause the heavier fine particles of grit or similar material to force themselves outward through the somewhat colloidal clay solution, so that these grit particles can be discharged through suitable discharge slots or openings 42 which are preferably located about in the middle of the circumference of each of the chambers between these drum ribs, the slots being preferably discontinuous as indicated in Fig. 1 to avoid undesirably weakening the drum. Ifdesired suitable inclined partitions 41 may be arranged within the drum to guide the discharged material toward the discharge slots, although this is not in all cases necessary since the heavier material tends to build up in the corners of each drum chamber in somewhat inclined position generally similar in contour to these partitions under operating conditions. This heavier discharged grit or material thus enters the annular space around the rotating centrifugal drum and is kept uniformly in suspension inthewater therein because of the strong swirling or agitation caused by the rotation of the drum in this narrow annular space in the inelosing easing. By suitably regulating the amount discharged from this space in proportion to the liquid discharged from the central part of the centrifugal drum the grit may be discharged from the outer casing while suspended in liquid, as for instance, through the ejector pipe 31 which may be formed with suitable means to regulate this discharge, as for instance the adjustable outletportion 35 adj ustably connected as by the flexible joint 34: with the ejector pipe so that the position of the end 37 of this outlet portion may be regulated, between pins 36, for example. In this way the centrifugal force due to the retation of the drum causes sufficient static head within the outer casing so as to continuously discharge the liguid and suspended grit through this ejector pipe which preferably has such small diameter that the speed of the liquid through this pipe is suflicient to keep the fine grit particles in suspension.

The adjustable end of the ejector pipe is extended up far enough so as to regulate the amount of this discharge by partially counteractlng the static pressure d ue to this centrifugal action of the drum. If desired, a valved discharge may be arranged in connection with this ejector pipe 31 either in addition to or instead of the adjustable outlet portion thereof and such an arrangement is shown in the drawing as comprising the valve 32 and connected discharge pipe '33 connected to the ejector pipe adjacent its lower portion so that, for example, the pipe can be readily drained in this way when the apparatus stops, or if the upwardly extending outlet portion is not used as a discharge the extent to which this valve is opened may regulate the amount of liquid discharged from this casing. The relatively lighter clay solution which remains near the center of the centrifugal drum under operating conditions may be continuously discharged therefrom through the annular space between the tubular shaft 12 and the feed pipe 13 which preferably discharges this refined clay solution from the end of the centrifugal drum which is opposite to or remote from the place where the raw clay solution is fed to the drum. This refined clay solution may then flow out of the discharge chamber 17 through the discharge pipe 22 into any suitable container or apparatus where the clay may be freed from the water and utilized in any desired way. It is of course understood that either the clay solution or the heavier gritty material or both may be passed through a second centrifugal separator of this character to remove from each of the products any small invention is not of course to be limited, since what is claimed as new and what is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims:

1. The continuous process of eentrifugally refining clay, which consists in suspending raw clay in water to the extentof about ten per cent. thereof, in subjecting a body of such raw clay solution to centrifugal action and in preventing undesirable eddies therein, in continuously removing separated heavier particles of grit, etc., from said body of raw clay solution and agitatin them to keep them suspended in water diiring their discharge in suspension, in continuously removmg the solution of the remaining purified clay while in suspension in water and in continuously feeding raw clay solution to the body thereof undergoing centrifugal action at a point remote from the point of removal of the purified clay therefrom.

2. The continuous process ofcentrifugally :refining clay, which consists in suspending raw clay in water, insubjecting a body of such raw clay solution .to centrifugal action,

' in continuously removing separated heayier particles of grit, etc., from said body of raw clay solution and agitating them to keep.

them suspended in water during the solution of the remaining purified clay while in sus I pension in water and in continuously feeding raw clay solution to the body thereof undergoing centrifugal action at a point remote from the point of removal of the purified clay therefrom. w i

3. The continuous process of centrifugally refining clay, which consists in suspending.

raw clay in water, in. subjectin a body of such raw clay solution to centrl ugal action, 1n continuously removlng separated heavier particles of gut, etc., from said body of raw clay solution, in continuously removing the solution of the remaining purified clay while in suspension in water and in continuously feeding raw clay solution to the body there- 1 of undergoing centrifugal action.

l. The continuous process of centrifugally refining clay, etc., which consists in suspend-- ing the raw material in water to-the extent of about ten per cent. thereof, in subjecting raw clay solution to centrifugal action and a separated heavier particles of waste Inaterial including grit, etc., from said body of raw material solution and agitating 'such waste material to keep it suspended. in liquid.

during its discharge in suspension, in continuously removlngthesolution of theremaining purified clay while in suspension and in continuously feeding such solution of raw material to the body thereof, undergoing centrifugal action,

' 7. The process of centrifugally refining clay, which consists in suspending the raw clay in water to the extent of about ten per cent. thereof, in subjecting a body' of such in preventing undesirable eddies therein, in removlng separated heavier particles of grit,

etc., from said body of raw.,clay solution.

clay in water, in subjecting a'body of such raw clay solution to centrifugal action and in preventing undesirable eddies therein, in

' agitating them'to keep them suspended in a body of such raw material solution to cen trifugal action and in preventing undesirable eddies therein, in continuously removlng separated heavier particles of waste material including grit, etc., from said body of raw material solution and agitating such waste material to keep it suspended in water during its discharge in suspension, in continuously removing the solution of the remaining purified clay while in suspension and in continuously feeding such solution of raw material to the body thereof undergoing centrifugal action.

- ing vpurified clay while in water.

9..;='The process of;centr1fugally refining" 5. The continuous proces of centrifugally refining clay, etc., which consists .in suspending the raw material in water, in subjecting a body of such raw material solution to centrifugal action, in continuously removing separated heavier particles of waste material including grit, etc., from-said body 'of raw material solution and agitating such waste material to keep it suspended in-water during its discharge in suspension, in conmaining purified clay while in suspension and in continuously feeding such'solutionof 'tinuously removing thesolution' o the re 7 g liquid material adjacent the bottom of the raw material to the body. thereof undergoing" centrifugal action. 1 a 6. The continuous process of centrifugally refining clay, etc., which consists in'suspending the material in liquid, in subjecting a body of such raw material solution to centrifugal action, in continuously removing water during their discharge in. suspension, and 1n removing the solutlon of the remainclay, which consists .ln suspending the raw clay in water, in subjecting a body of such removing separated'heavier particles of'grit, etc., from sald body of raw clay solutlon and I suspension in o raw clay solution to centrifugal action, in"

removing separated heavier particles of grit, etc., fromsaid body of raw clay solution, and in removing the solution of the 'remaining purified clay while in suspension in water.

10. The'apparatus for'refining blay, etc., comprising a vertical cylindrical casing, a

centrifugal drum within said casing and closely-approaching the sides thereof, means 1 to rotate said drum at substantially. uniform speed, a tubular shaft communicating with the inside of said drum and extending up-'] ward through said casing, a discharge cham:

her and pipe with which said tubular-shaft communicates, a feed pipe adjustably' mounted to extend substantially axially within Said tubular shaft and drum to discharge drum,an ejectorpipe communicating with providedwith adjustable means to regulate the amount of material discharged from said ejector pipe, said drum being formed with). series of radial ribs to form chambers w1th1n *said drum and with discharge slots in the peripheryof "said drum communicatingwith each of said chambers and inclined partitions extending between the periphery of the drum adjacent each of said dischargeslots and the adjacent ribs to deflect outwardly moving material into said slots.

11. The apparatus for refining clay, etc., comprising a vertical cylindrical casing, a

I centrifugal drum within said casing and closely approaching the sides thereof, means to rotate said drum at substantially uniform speed, a tubular shaft communicating with the inside ofsaid drum and extending upward through said casing, a discharge chamber' and'pipe with which said tubular shaft communicates, a feed pipe mounted to ex tend substantially axially within said tubular shaft and drumto discharge liquid material adjacent the bottom of the drum, an ejector pipe communicating with said casing adjacent the bottom thereof and provided with adj ustable means to regulate the amount of material discharged from said ejector pipe, said drum being formed with a series of radial ribs to form chambers within said drum and with discharge slots in the periphery of said drum communicating with each of said chambers.

- 12. The apparatus for refining clay, etc., comprising a vertical cylindrical casing, a centrifugal drum within said casing and closely approaching the sides thereof, means to rotate said drum at substantially uniform speed, a tubular shaft communicating with the inside of said drum and extending upward through said casing, a discharge chamber and pipe with which said tubular shaft communicates, a feed pipe mounted to extend substantially aXiallv withinsaid tubular shaft and drum to discharge liquid material adjacent the bottom of the drum, an-ejector pipe communicating with said casing adjacent the bottom thereof, said drum being formed with a series of chambers within said drum and with discharge slots in the periphery of said drum communicating with each of said chambers.

13. llhe apparatus for refining clay, etc, comprising a casing, a centrifugal drum within said casing to agitate the liquid in said casing around said .drum, means to rotate said drum at substantially uniform speed, a discharge passage communicating with the inside of said drum and extending through said casing, a feed pipe mounted to discharge liqnid material adjacent the aXis of the drum and an ejector pipe communieating with said casing adjacent the bottom thereof and provided with adjustable means to regulate the amount of material discharged from said ejector pipe, said drum being formed w1th-a series of chambers and with discharge slots in the periphery of sald drum communicating with each of said chambers.

STANLEY A. WV. OKELL Witnesses:

J. WRENCH, BERNARD N. Guam 

